Georgie Butler and Edward Flynn Haddon Join THE JONATHAN LARSON PROJECT at Southwark Playhouse Borough
Open search casting sees over 600 performers audition for the London premiere.
Georgie Butler and Edward Flynn Haddon have joined the company of THE Jonathan Larson PROJECT UK premiere following an open casting search led by Emmy-nominated casting director Rob Kelly.THE Jonathan Larson PROJECT will make its European premiere at Southwark Playhouse Borough from July 9 to August 22, 2026.
Butler and Haddon were selected from more than 600 performers and will serve as covers in the production, marking their professional debuts. Butler is currently training at Guildford School of Acting, while Haddon trains at Laine Theatre Arts and has previously performed with the British Theatre Academy.
The production celebrates the work of Jonathan Larson, the composer of Rent and tick, tick… BOOM!, and features previously unheard material from Larson’s archives. The 2026 London staging coincides with the 30th anniversary of Larson’s death in January 1996.
The show is directed by John Simpkins, who helmed the Off-Broadway production, and is conceived by Jennifer Ashley Tepper. It is presented by Thomas Hopkins, SAMS Entertainment, and executive producer Julie Larson, by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Butler and Haddon join previously announced cast members including Max Harwood, Marcus Collins, Michael Mather, Grace Mouat, and Imelda Warren-Green.
The production follows a 16-week Off-Broadway run at the Orpheum Theatre and offers a portrait of Larson as a young artist in New York City, exploring themes of ambition, activism, and creative identity.
Kelly said the open search was designed to reach beyond traditional casting pathways, noting that Butler and Haddon brought “something honest and instinctive” to the audition room.
Producer Thomas Hopkins said the casting process reflected Larson’s belief in championing emerging artists and welcoming new talent into the industry.
THE Jonathan Larson PROJECT
Southwark Playhouse Borough
77–85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD
July 9 – August 22, 2026
Evenings at 7pm Monday–Saturday
Matinees at 2:30pm Tuesday & Saturday
Press Night: Monday, July 13 at 7pm
Tickets: £10–£35
Running Time: 90 minutes (no interval)
Age Guidance: 12+
